US government shutdown becomes second longest in history
Photo: Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson (Getty Images)
The US federal government shutdown is now in its 22nd day. This has surpassed the duration of the shutdown under the 42nd US President, Bill Clinton, which lasted 21 days, stated House Speaker Mike Johnson during a press conference on October 22.
Johnson called the prolonged shutdown "shameful" and blamed Democrats for blocking the bill needed to restore government operations.
"This is now the second-longest government shutdown of any kind ever in the history of our country, and it's just shameful. Democrats keep making history, but they're doing it for all the wrong reasons," Mike Johnson said.
US government shutdown: details
The US government has been partially shut down since October 1, 2025, after Congress failed to approve the necessary funding for federal agencies.
The current shutdown has already exceeded the one that took place in 1995–1996 during Clinton's presidency, which lasted 21 days. The longest shutdown in US history occurred under Donald Trump's first term in 2018–2019, lasting 35 days. But if the current situation worsens, this shutdown could break that record.
The US Senate has repeatedly tried to pass bills to unblock the government's work, but Democrats have blocked them. For example, an attempt to approve a temporary budget on October 21 failed due to opposition from Democrats..
Federal agencies are already facing major issues. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has sent 1,400 employees on unpaid leave due to the shutdown. The overall economic losses are estimated at 15 billion dollars per day.
